WHEATBERRY BLUE CHEESE SALAD

We had bought some blue cheese crumbles for a steak topper for a Sunday steak dinner.  Neither my husband or I had ever had chunks of blue cheese but had heard they were to die for on a nice beefy steak.  We took the chance, and of course it was, just what people said it was...delicious!

Wasn't sure how long the left over cheese would last and with my husband stating "I bet those would be good in a salad" I concocted this great salad with things I had left from other meals during the week.  This salad is fresh tasting with a simple vinaigrette and the taste of the blue cheese crumbles is outstanding!

• 2 cups cooked wheat berries
• 1/2 cup small diced carrots
• 1/3 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup reduced fat blue cheese crumbles
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp evoo
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Mix everything together in the same bowl and enjoy!

BOLOGNESE

This is one of our favorite sauces to top pasta.  It doesn't need a lot of salt since the mixture of vegetables blended together give it plenty of flavor on its own.

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup onions
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup red pepper
• 1/2 cup green pepper
• 1 15oz can diced Italian tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 4 oz Jennie o lean ground turkey
• 6 oz whole wheat pasta
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic

Preheat a medium saute pan on medium heat with the 1 tbsp olive oil.  add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add other vegetables except tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.  add the canned tomatoes and the Italian seasonings and simmer for 5 minutes more.  Remove from heat and pour into food processor bowl and pulse until desired consistency, set aside. 

Brown the ground turkey in a sprayed pan until done, grind in food processor and add to the vegetable sauce.  Pour into a saute pan and heat thoroughly before using.

LIEBSTER AWARD

We received this awesome award from cookin' cowgirl...go check her out, she has some great recipes!

Liebster means dearest in German and the award is intended to help up and coming blogs with less then 200 followers get the attention they deserve. As with any award there is a bit of ceremony involved. In order to accept the award we must do the following:

1. Copy and paste the award on our blog.

2.Link back to the blogger who gave us the award.

3.Pick our five favorite blogs with less than 200 followers and leave a comment on there blog to let them know they have received the award.

4.Hope that the five blogs chosen will keep spreading the love and pass it on to five more blogs

I really didn't have the time to research 5 other blogs for this award so I will do that and let them know they have received the award when the time comes...sorry about that.

FISH TACOS

My husband was pretty reluctant to try this recipe.  He has finally started enjoying baked fish and wasn't sure about putting it in a taco.  With the first taste he was absolutely sold and has asked me to make it again soon!

Avocado sauce

• 1/2 an avocado
• 1 wedge lite Swiss laughing cow cheese
• 1/8 tsp beau Monte seasoning
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 tsp lime juice

Mash the avocado and cheese together until creamy.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Salsa

• 3/4 cup canned diced tomatoes
• 1/2 an avocado, diced
• 1tbsp canned jalapeno peppers
• 1/8 cup diced onions
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1/2 tsp beau Monte seasoning
• 1/8 cup chopped cilantro

Mix all and let sit until ready to use

• 3 cups cabbage, fried tender crisp in olive oil spray
• 6 low carb tortillas (small ones)
• 3 talapia fillets

Make sauce and salsa and fry the cabbage before baking the fish.  To prepare the fish, spay your pan with olive oil spray and lay fish in the pan.  Spray the tops of the fish, season with creole seasoning and drizzle with lemon juice if you like.  Put in a 350 degree oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes.

To prepare tortillas, cut a foil piece big enough to go around them and put in the oven with fish just to warm them.

To assemble, spread some sauce on one side of the tortilla, lay some fried cabbage on the bottom followed by 1/2 fillet of talapia and a spoonful of salsa.  Wrap and enjoy!  Makes 6 fish tacos

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

We may eat healthy, but like everyone else do crave a little something sweet sometimes too.  With blood sugar levels a little on the high side I choose to keep as much sugar out of our diet as I can but sometimes I NEED!  I came up with this great cookie recipe that satisfies my sweet tooth and fulfills my desire for sugar and flour.

• 1 cup spelt flour
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup egg beaters
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Add the first 4 ingredients into a bowl and whisk together, set aside.  In a separate bowl mix the oil and the honey together with an electric mixer on low until mixed well.  Add the yogurt, egg beaters and vanilla and mix again on low until well incorporated and creamy.  Add the flour mixture and mix well, then stir in the nuts and chocolate chips.

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and drop cookie dough by tablespoonful on to the sheet.  Press down slightly.  Bake for 12-15 minutes and cool on a baking rack.  Makes 24 cookies



SLOW COOKER WHEAT BERRY (MEATLESS) CHILI

Ive been hearing a lot about substituting wheat berries for the heartiness of meat in recipes and was dieing to try this.  I researched a few recipes and set out to first find a bag of wheat berries in the small town I live in.  I, of course figured I would have to drive 40 miles to get them but I took the chance at the local grocery store.  Couldn't believe they were actually there along with some other great products I wanted to try.

These are all the great products that I use already

These are all Bobs Red Mill Brand

Wheat berries are pretty easy to cook up and can be done in the slow cooker, days ahead of time.  Make a double batch and throw them in the freezer for future use.  Wheat berries can be refrigerated for 2 weeks or frozen for 1 month.  Here is a great site on how to cook wheat berries in the crock pot.

Wasn't sure how the husband would take a meatless chili but to my surprise he said it was really good and went back for seconds.  We also used an avocado cream topping instead of plain sour cream for a creamy cooling effect.

• 2 cups fat free beef broth
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1 cup colored peppers, I used red, yellow, orange and green
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 heaping tbsp canned jalapeno peppers
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
• 1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed well
• 1 15.5 oz can mild chili beans
• 11/2 tsp cumin
• 11/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 and 1/2 cup cooked wheat berries 

Avocado cream

• 1 ripe avocado, mashed
• 3 tbsp low fat sour cream
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1/4 tsp salt1/2 tsp lime juice

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to use

Get slow cooker ready by spraying the inside with non stick spray.  Pour the beef broth into the cooker and turn it on high.  Saute the onion, peppers, jalapeno peppers and the garlic in the tbsp of oil heated to medium heat.  Add the spices and salt and cook 5 minutes.   Pour the pepper onion mix into the beef broth and add tomatoes and both cans of beans.  Cook on low for 6 hours.  When ready to eat add 1 and 1/2 cups cooked wheat berries.  Ladle into serving bowls and top with 1 tbsp of avocado cream 

Note*  If wheat berries were frozen make sure they are thawed and heated slightly before adding to chili

SPAGHETTI WITH SPINACH AND HOMINY

I am a new subscriber to the clean eating magazine and its name says it all.  The recipes are full of goodness and uses many fresh ingredients. I look forward to the magazine coming every month.

I have made a few recipes from the magazine as the recipe states, but not many, since unless I go to the next town You will not find half the ingredients here.  I'm pretty good at improvising though and can come up with some pretty awesome dishes that are full of flavor and satisfying too!

I came across spaghetti with kale, feta and poached egg that looked and sounded so good.  I set out to find the ingredients but like I said, no kale or feta to be found and I wasn't driving 40 miles to find it.  I subbed what I could find and came up with a scrumptious dish that even my husband ate (and loved)..and that says alot!

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup small dice onions
• 1 cup hominy, drained and rinsed
• 6 oz bag of baby spinach leaves
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 eggs, cooked sunny side up(salt and pepper top)

• 6 oz cooked whole wheat spaghetti

Preheat a non stick skillet to medium with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add the garlic, hominy and onion and saute for 2 minutes.  Add the spinach leaves and drizzle with the other tbsp of olive oil, stir to combine and add the seasonings.  Mix well and cook until spinach is wilted.  Add the whole wheat pasta and combine well.  cook for 1 minute.  Serve with  a sunny side up egg on top and sprinkle with 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese.  Serves 4

JALAPENO CORN BREAD MUFFINS

I have really enjoyed using the different grains and flours on the market today.  I get excited when I see a new one at a different store and the need to "gotta have it" takes over.  A little experimenting often yields a great product and a new recipe to pass on to family and friends. 

My new find, which I know has been on the market for a long time was Bulgar wheat.  I used it like risotto and came up with a great tasty recipe which even won my husbands approval, and that says alot...  It actually screams victory!

So, I thought, what to have with it to sap up the remaining goodness in the bowl...how about a cornbread muffin.  This recipe is slightly sweet, slightly spicy but oh so good!

• 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/3 cup Bobs red mill spelt flour
• 1/3 cup Bobs red mill brown rice flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp canned jalapeno peppers
• 1/3 cup club soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup eggbeaters
• 1 tbsp agave nectar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 6 muffin cups.  Whisk together the dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl stir together the wet ingredients including the jalapeno peppers and stir into the dry ingredients until just mixed.  If it is to dry you can add another splash of club soda.  Divide the batter into 6 cups on your muffin tray and bake for 20-25 minutes.  This recipe can be doubled.  I tried using cupcake papers with this recipe and it failed miserably so a greased pan is a better option.

PUMPKIN BREAD

This is a great recipe using the different healthier flours that are on the market today. The two I use most are spelt flour and brown rice flour and was able to substitute both for the refined white flour that usually is used for baking.

Spelt flour is a great, much easier to digest, alternative to white or whole wheat flour. Many people with wheat allergies or intolerance's find they tolerate spelt flour well. Its an excellent source of vitamins and minerals,and makes great tasty baked goods. Breads don't rise as high, but the taste out ways that by far!

• 1 cup spelt flour
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup canned pure pumpkin
• 1/2 cup egg beaters
• 1/2 cup club soda
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together the flours, salt, baking soda and spices. In a separate medium bowl mix the pumpkin, eggs and vanilla, then add the club soda.  Mix the dry ingredients into the wet 1/2 at a time, stir until just mixed, then add nuts.  Pour into a bread pan and add topping.

Topping

• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp brown rice flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Mix and sprinkle on top of bread.  Bake 50-60 minutes (check with a toothpick for doneness) cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pan and cool on cooling rack.

PINEAPPLE ORANGE CAKE WITH PINEAPPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

     With trying to change our diet to healthy clean eating we still craved an after dinner sweet or two.  I tinkered around in the kitchen and was able to come up with a few that were simple and would take that edge off.  The idea for this cake came from a few lone ingredients let in the fridge that needed to be used and some club soda left from the holiday drinks.  The results were yummy!

• 1 1/2 cups Betty Crocker super moist yellow cake mix
• 1/2 cup Dole crushed pineapple with juice
• Juice and zest from 1 medium tangerine
• 1/2 cup club soda

     Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Measure out the cake mix and add to a mixing bowl.  Zest the tangerine into the bowl then cut in half and squeeze the juice into the bowl also.  Measure 1/2 cup crushed pineapple and incorporate all until mixed well.  Add the club soda and mix well.  Pour into an 8x8 greased pan and bake 30 minutes.

     Frosting

• 3 tbsp powered sugar
• 2 oz lite Philadelphia cream cheese
• 1/4 cup dole crushed pineapple with juice

     Warm the cream cheese in the microwave for 15 seconds.  Add the pineapple with juice and mix well, then stir in the powdered sugar until mixed well.  Frost cake when completely cooled.